Hundreds Of Authors Ask Publishers To Stop Attacking Libraries

We keep pointing out that publishers hate libraries. Oh, they'll pretend otherwise, and make broad platitudes about libraries and the good of society. But, it's clear in how they act that they think of libraries as dens of piracy. They're now using the ebook revolution as a chance to harm, or even wipe out, libraries. The biggest battle on this front is the big publishers' lawsuit against the Internet Archive.

Now, hundreds of authors have signed onto a letter put together by Fight for the Future in support of libraries and asking the publishers to back off.

Libraries are a fundamental collective good. We, the undersigned authors, are disheartened by the recent attacks against libraries being made in our name by trade associations such as the Association of American Publishers and the Publishers Association: undermining the traditional rights of libraries to own and preserve books, intimidating libraries with lawsuits, and smearing librarians.

We urge all who are engaged in the work of getting books into the hands of readers to act in the interests of all authors, including the long-marginalized, midlist, and emerging authors whom librarians have championed for decades.

This is important, because like with the RIAA claiming to represent musicians (rather than the labels they actually represent), the publishers always frame their attacks on libraries as if it's about protecting authors' interests. And here are tons of authors, including some very big names like Neil Gaiman, saying that the publishers need to not just stop going after libraries, but especially that they need to stop doing so in the name of authors.

The letter has three asks, all of which I think are important and which I'll quote fully here:

1. Enshrine the right of libraries to permanently own and preserve books, and to purchase these permanent copies on reasonable terms, regardless of format. Many libraries would prefer to own and preserve digital editions, as they have always done with print books, but these days publishers rarely offer them the option. Instead, when libraries have access to ebooks at all, the prices libraries pay to rent ebooks are often likened to extortion.

   Digital editions are more affordable to produce and often more accessible, but libraries are already relying on emergency funds and may only be able to license a small selection of mainstream works in the future. In turn, readers will have fewer opportunities to discover the more diverse potential bestsellers of tomorrow.

   It is past time to determine a path forward that is fair to both libraries and authors-including a perpetual model for digital ownership based on the cost to maintain a print edition.

1. End lawsuits aimed at intimidating libraries and diminishing their role in society. The interests of libraries are the interests of the public, and of any author concerned with equity and longevity for themselves and their fellow writers. We are all on the same side. Yet a unanimously passed Maryland state law ensuring libraries pay reasonable fees" for digital editions died after the AAP sued. And after a previous suit failed, several publishers are currently suing the Internet Archive Library in an attempt to prohibit all libraries from lending out scanned copies of books they own. While undermining libraries may financially benefit the wealthiest and most privileged authors and corporations in the short term, this behavior is utterly opposed to the interests of authors as a whole.
2. End smear campaigns against librarians. Recent comments likening library advocates to mouthpieces" for Big Tech are as tasteless as they are inaccurate. Also concerning are the awards recently given to legislators who have advocated in favor of the dangerous surveillance of library patrons, and of laws that criminalize librarians. As a last bastion of truth, privacy, and access to diverse voices, libraries' digital operations grow ever more essential to our society-and their work should be celebrated, not censured.

Many of the authors were so vocal about this issue, that they didn't just sign the letter, but provided further quotes of support as well.

The real question then, is why the publishers are continuing this never ending attack on libraries. One hopes that journalists will be asking the heads of the big publishers, as well as the boss of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), (former Copyright Office boss) Maria Pallante, why they continue to drive forward with these anti-author, anti-library attacks.